Electric-lamp switch.



N. C. NISPEL.

ELECTRIC LAMP SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED'JULY 16. 1912.

Patented Jan. 28, 1913.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NORMAN C. NISPEL, F YORK, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T0 JOSEPH WILLIAMS, 0]? FAWN GROVE, PENNSYLVANIA.

ELE CTRIC-LAMP SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 28, 1913.

Application. filed July 16, 1812. Serial No. 709,709.

To all whom 2' t may concern:

Be it known that I, NORMAN C. NisrnL, a citizen of the United States of America. residing at York, in the county of York and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Electric. Lamp'Switches, of which the following is a specification.

, This invention relates to improvements in electric switches and has particular application to electric switches for use in conjunction with electric lamps.

In carrying out the present invention, it. is-my purpose to provide a switch whereby the electric current may be fed into the lamp in a step by step manner or gradually so that the filaments of the lamp may be rendered luminous to give any desired or predetermined candle power. m It is also my purpose to provide an electric lamp switch wherein by means of a plurality of sections of resistance and amovable switch element, the current may be fed into the filaments of the lamp in a step by 1 step manner so as to give any desired amount of light.

Another object of my invention is the provision of an electric lamp switch whichv will embrace the desired features of simplicity, etliciency, durability and convenname and which may be manufactured and installed at a relatively low cost.

With. the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter set forth in and falling within the scope of the claim.

In the accompanying drawing; Figure 1' is a vertical sectional view through a switch constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the same, andFig. 3 is a diagrammatic view showing the sections of resistance arranged in'the circuit and the relafive position of the movable switch element.

Referfing now to the accompanying drawing in detail, the numeral 1 designates a fiiell or casing preferably of cylindrical out: line and provided with an inner lining 2 act suitable insulating material having formed therein a longitudinally extending bore 3 designed to accommodate one of the electric current carrying conductors of the circuit, such here being in communication with a recess 4 formed in the lining adjacent to the lower end of the casing 1. This lining l is further provided with a longitudinal passage 5 arranged in parallelism with the bore and forming a guide way and arranged or embedded in one wall of the passage 5 are a plurality of sections of re sistance 6 each provided with a. contact 7 disposed upon the face of the respective wall and within the guide way. These sections of resistance are preferably connected in series with one another as illustrated in Fig. 3 and with one conductor 8 of an electric circuit, the other conductor 9 of such circuit being passed through the bore 3. If desired, the portions of the conductors 8 and Oct the electric circuit within the switch may form a part of such switch and terminate at one end of the casing ip/a suitable form of contact member, the remaining portions ofthe conductors of the circuit, that is to say, the portions of the conductors bei yond the switch being also terminallyconnected to a companion contact member for the first member. The end of the switch casing or shell opposite from the end .receiv-' ing the wires of the elcctriccircuit has connected thereto in any suitable manner an ordinary form of lamp socket member, 10 to which is connected the free terminal of the wire 9 of the electric circuit within the switch casing.

Journaled transversely of the casing or shell through the passage way 5 therein, is an actuating shaft 11 equipped, on the outer side of the casing. with a manipulating'disk or wheel 12 and carrying within the passage 5 a cog pinion 13 designed to mesh with a rack bar 14 of the movable switch element, such element including the block of insulating material 15 to which the rack bar is fastened, and a contact finger 16 at one end of such block and connected by way of a wire 17 with a contact plate 18 secured to the end of the shell 1 and disposed within the socket forming member 10. This con-- tact finger 16 is designed to engage the contacts 7 of the resistance sections 6 in the circuit so as to cut the resistance sections successively out of the circuit. \Vhen the movable switch element reaches the limit -of its upward movement within the guide way 5, the contact finger 16 thereon engages-a contact 19 connected to one wlre of the electric circuit and completes the circuit to the lamp from such contact 19 by way of thewire 17, thence through the plate 18, .lamp filaments,-socket member 10 and the wire 9', thus illuminating the lamp with all of the sections of resistance out of the circuit.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing,

the construction, mode of operation and. manner of employing my invention will-be readily apparent. Assuming the lamp to be extinguished, it will be seen that the movable switch element is disposed at the lower.

movable switch element may be held in any position to enable the lamp to give the .desired or predetermined candle power and in order to hold the switch element in such position, I employ a braking device which in the present instance, consist-s'of a friction. shoe 20 loosely encircling the actuating shaft adjacent the "manipulating -whe'el thereon and held .in'engagement .with the hub of such disk or wheel by means of'an expansion spring 21 surrounding the actuating shaft betweenthe brake shoe and the adjacent surface of the casing. -lVhen the movable switch element is in its lower or in- .operative position, the slack in the wirel? is disposed within. the recess 4.

. It will be noted that I have provided a simple, yet efiicient andconvenient form of electric lamp switch and-one whereby the lamp may be illuminated .to any desired or predetermined candle power. Y

While I have herein shown and described one preferred form of my invention by way of illustration,'I desire to have it understood that I do not limit myself'to the precise details of construction herein described and de* lineated, as modification and variation may .be made within the scope of the claim and without departing from thespirit of my invention.

I claim: The combination with a a shell, a lining. of insulating material with- ,in'the shell and provided with a bore forpair cit-electric current carrying conductors forming a c 1rcuit, of an electrlc lamp switch comprisingone of the electric current carrying conduc tors, a recess contiguous the bore, and a passageparallel with the bore. and forming aguide way, a plurality ofresistance sections arranged in one wall of said passage "and connected'in'series' with one another and the other conductor, a switch element movable through said passage an d I adapted to cut the resistance sections out of the oilcuit, a wire leading from said switch element and adapted to be disposed in said recess, a lamp socket member secured to the shell and forming the terminals ofthe oircuit, and means or holdin the switch element in any or pre etermined posi-.'

tion.

In testimony whereof Iafiix signature fi;

in presence of two witnesses.

NORMAN C. NI'SPEL.

\Vitnesses:

WALTER E. 'PEARTHREE,

C. F. Karon. 

